In the opening match of the SMS Grup Efeler Ligi play-off final series, defending champions Ziraat Bankkart delivered a commanding 3-0 victory over Galatasaray HDI Sigorta in Ankara. The set scores stood at 25-19, 25-21, and 26-24, giving Ziraat a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series.
Backed by the stellar performances of Ter Maat, Clevenot, Bulbul and Anderson, Ziraat Bankkart set the tone early, overpowering Galatasaray in the first two sets. While the third set proved to be more tightly contested, Ziraat held their nerve to close it out.
Top Scorers
- Top Scorer for Ziraat Bankkart: Ter Maat (15 pts), Anderson, Bulbul and Clevenot 11 pts each
- Top Scorer for Galatasaray: Olympic champion Jean Patry stood out with 16 points
- Notable Mention: Ivan Zaytsev struggled, registering only 4 points (14% attack)
Upcoming Final Series Fixtures
| Game 2 | April 26, 2025 | 18:00 (local time) | Galatasaray vs Ziraat Bankkart | Burhan Felek Vestel | |
| Game 3 | April 29, 2025 | 19:00 (local time) | Ziraat Bankkart vs Galatasaray | Ziraat Bankkart Arena | |
| Game 4* | May 2, 2025 | 19:00 (local time) | Galatasaray vs Ziraat Bankkart | Burhan Felek Vestel | |
| Game 5* | May 5, 2025 | 19:00 (local time) | Ziraat Bankkart vs Galatasaray | Ziraat Bankkart Arena |
*if necessary
- POL M: Barkom Każany Lwów Outlast Politechnika Częstochowa
- TUR M: Halkbank Defeats Galatasaray 3-0
- BRA M: Sesi Bauru Stuns Sada Cruzeiro
- Martina Šamadan Leads Panathinaikos to Strong Start in Greek League
- Bulgarian Volleyball Federation Postpones Women’s Head Coach Appointment
